An Uncertain Future
by Thayer
Summary: Fang is keeping a secret from everyone regarding the future but so is Iggy. Together they might be able to make the necessary choices to alter a pre-determined fate but they have one problem. Iggy is missing. Sequel to The Disappearance.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.**

_Hey guys! I'm back with the sequel! (if you haven't read the first one yet I suggest you do so cos otherwise you might not understand some of the stuff in her). A few things you will need to know – this story is set three years after the first one and A LOT has changed for our favourite flying friends... but you'll have to read to find out what. So I hope you guys like this one as much as the first one! Happy reading!_

FANG POV –

I kept my head down as I leant against the door jamb, my hands interlocked behind the small of my back. Max was standing directly in front of me, her angry voice floating from the kitchen into the rest of the house.

"What, so you just thought it would be okay?" Max was shouting.

"No, I knew I wouldn't be recognised..."

"God Iggy! How many times do I have to remind you that we are the most famous faces in America right now? You can't just waltz through the streets anymore..."

Iggy, who had been heatedly dicing tomatoes for dinner, turned to face Max. He held the sharp knife in front of him, using it as a pointer.

"You know what Max? I'm sick of you and your stupid rules," he waved the knife around carelessly. "We all know the risks of exposing ourselves but that doesn't mean that I'm going to stay cooped up in this house for the rest of my life. I have to be able to live and I can't do that here."

"What are you saying? That you want to leave?" Max demanded, ignoring the knife in Iggy's hand.

"If that's what I meant, don't you think that I would have said that?" he retorted.

I sighed, pushing myself away from the wall. I placed my hands on Max's hips and pulled her gently away from Iggy. She turned swiftly, her hands grabbing mine and yanking them away from her body.

"Don't you dare interfere," she hissed at me.

Her eyes were burning with anger but she didn't scare me. I offered her an innocent grin, raising an eyebrow slightly. Max scowled at me before dropping my hands and crossing her arms over her chest. She turned back to continue arguing with Iggy but I'd heard enough. I had no doubt that this argument would replay tomorrow night and possibly the night after, just like it had for the past week.

"Ig, put the knife down," I said softly, speaking before Max could.

She opened her mouth to say something snide but I grabbed her shoulders and spun her around. Before she could protest, I pushed her out of the kitchen and into the hallway. Max struggled briefly against my death grip on her shoulders but eventually gave up when she realised I was still stronger than her.

"Meet me on the roof," I told her, gently pushing her forward.

Max spun as soon as I released my grip and raised a hand, pointing threateningly at me. Her eyes were narrowed and her cheeks flushed in anger.

"I told you..."she began.

I grabbed her finger in one hand, a smile playing across my face. Slowly, I leant down towards her until our noses were nearly touching. I could hear her breathing as it became uneven and my heart beat skipped slightly as her warm breath touched my face.

"Meet me on the roof," I repeated, my voice husky as desire filled me.

Max's eyes were wide and captivated now, all of her anger dispelled. She nodded minutely and I saw her throat move as she swallowed. Her brown eyes flickered from one of my eyes to the other and back again, unsure which one to settle on.

I placed a feather-light kiss on her nose before pulling away from her. The spell broken now, Max huffed and stormed off down the hall. I watched as she left, my eyes tracing every line of her beautiful curvature. When she finally turned into her bedroom, I groaned softly with happiness. My head fell backwards as I closed my eyes so I could see Max's backside again, a guilty smile forming on my lips. How was it that she could tease and tempt me so much even after three years?

Feeling slightly lightheaded and giddy, I wandered slowly back into the kitchen. In the short time it took me to reach the kitchen door, I had donned my expressionless face and was ready to face Iggy. It was about time this constant bickering between him and Max stopped.

Iggy had returned to making dinner, his sensitive fingers scooping up the mass of diced tomatoes and tossing them eerily into the frypan beside him. Not one piece missed the pan. The kid was good.

"Ok Ig," I said, walking over to the tall blonde. "What's going on?"

I leant back against the kitchen bench behind me, my head turned to one side so I could keep an eye on Iggy. I crossed my arms over my chest, prepared to wait. I heard him mumble something under his breath but didn't catch the words.

"What?"

He ignored me, tearing at the Cling Wrap that covered a packet of meat. I knew he was still seething about Max's words; I just needed him to snap. Then it would all come out, just like usual.

"Was Max right? Are you planning on leaving?" I said it softly but the impact was quite profound.

The meat slipped from Iggy's fingers, landing – complete with packaging – in the frypan on top of the tomatoes. Iggy swore and quickly pulled the packaging out of the mix.

"I don't want to talk about this," he told me as he walked over to put the rubbish in the bin.

"You can't keep doing this to her Ig," I muttered. "Max worries about you and she's just trying to keep you safe. You both need to stop fighting with each other."

He snorted in contempt. "Figures."

I frowned. "Huh?"

"You," he replied. He faced me, his gaze managing to find my eyes and pierce me. "You're always defending her, like everything Max does is perfect and everybody else is only second rate."

I stared at him, open-mouthed.

"What has gotten into you?" I demanded.

This was not the Iggy I knew. Something was troubling him.

"Nothing!" he snapped. He turned his back to me and began to stir the frypan. There was a thick silence as I continued to stare at him, trying to figure out how to reach him. A minute passed before Iggy finally released a loud breath.

"God Fang just drop it would you?" he cried.

"I didn't say anything," I murmured softly, finally turning away. "I just want to help you man."

"Well you can't. Nobody can," he whispered.

My frown deepened. What was that supposed to mean?

I pushed away from the kitchen bench and left the room, leaving Iggy in silence as he cooked. In the hallway, I rubbed a hand over my face in frustration. I knew he was wrong. Whether he realised it or not, I was capable of helping him and I was going to do everything that I could to do just that, with or without his consent.


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.**

_Okay, sorry bout the wait guys. In this chapter I just wanted to show some of Max's confusion about her life at the moment so don't worry too much if it is jumping from one emotion to the next. Haha... and also, this chapter is dedicated to _wolfdefender01_ cos she was the first to review!! YAY!! And I might dedicate the next one to her as well cos I just don't think this chapter is all that great and she deserves the best... as do you all!!_

MAX POV –

I landed gracefully on the roof, keeping my wings out to steady myself. It was an instinctive reaction, trusting my own wings for balance more than my feet. Quickly and silently I made my way up to the top of the roof before sitting down.

The breeze was cool as it ruffled my feathers. I stretched out my wings and closed my eyes. For a few seconds I let myself go, allowing my mind to wander away from everything and just... exist. I could feel the blood running through my veins and my heart beating as it casually pumped the liquid life force through me.

"You should have gone to bed earlier last night."

I nearly jumped at the sound of Fang's soft voice. A sudden surge of adrenaline gripped me and all my muscles tensed – the usual reaction to a surprise. My eyes flew open.

Then I felt Fang's fingers run gently through my hair and immediately my body relaxed, knowing it wasn't in any danger. I smiled gently as I closed my eyes again.

"'M not tired," I mumbled.

I heard Fang's soft laughter. "Of course not, because you never randomly attack Iggy for no reason."

Quickly I sat up and turned to face Fang. A scowl formed on my lips as he stared at me, his hands now lying in his lap. His glorious black wings were stretched out behind him, just as mine were still open behind me.

I slapped his arm as hard as I could. My hand was tingling as I placed it back on the ground beside me, using it to support my weight. Fang barely flinched even though I knew it would have hurt.

"Why do you always have to intervene?" I demanded. "What Iggy did was wrong and could endanger everyone, not just himself. What if someone had recognised him and followed him home? We could all be in danger at this very moment."

Fang lifted a hand to the spot where I'd slapped him and rubbed it absently as I spoke. He waited patiently for me to finish. When I stopped to take a breath, I noticed that one of his eyebrows was raised and he was wearing an amused smirk. Rage filled me.

Oh so I amused him, did I? Let's see how much he enjoyed this.

Moving quickly so Fang wouldn't see and move out of the way, I pulled back my fist and slammed it into his face. It hit its target, giving Fang an almost instant black eye.

He fell backwards, his hands going down behind him so he didn't hit the roof too hard. But the force of my punch sent him tumbling down the other side of the roof and I scrambled over the top frantically as I heard a soft groan. I was just in time to see the metal gutter give and Fang toppled out of view.

My eyes were wide as I realised what I'd done but I wasn't worried. Meer seconds later, Fang was landing in front of me, his arms crossed over his chest and all amusement gone from his eyes. Quickly I stood up and dashed over to him. His wings were still out behind him and I couldn't help seeing the resemblance between him and some dark angel of the night, come for vengeance.

"Oh God, Fang! I'm sorry I didn't mean to hit you so hard," I muttered.

I grabbed his face between my hands and turned his head gently to the side and back again; searching for any more injuries beside the one I'd given him. I frowned as I noticed that he didn't have a single scratch or bruise on him – and that included the one I'd seen forming around his eye.

He wrapped his big hands around my wrists and pulled my hands from his face. He was still wearing his blank face, the one he reserved for social interactions.

"I'm really sorry," I whispered.

My eyes desperately searched out his. He was already staring at me and I struggled to maintain eye contact. I didn't know if he was angry with me or not.

Suddenly he leant forward and whispered into my ear. "Don't punch me again."

His warm breath tickled and I was frozen to the spot. His words were hypnotic. Then, he kissed my cheek ever so gently and pulled away from me. His eyes were still serious but I could see the forgiveness burning brightly like a beacon. I was very aware that my cheeks were bright red.

"Look, I don't want you guys fighting alright," he said. "I know that you need to get outside and stretch your wings every now and then, but so do the rest of us. You can't keep chewing Iggy's or my or anybody else's heads off every time we don't do something you order us too. We've grown up Max, you need to remember that."

I nodded slowly. He was right. I was only crabby because I hated being confined to the house all day and it wasn't helping anyone when I argued just for the sake of arguing. But still, Iggy shouldn't have gone out in public during the day. They're the rules of survival these days and they applied to everyone.

"How about we leave Iggy to cool off in the kitchen and we go pick up Nudge, Gazzy and Angel?" Fang whispered.

We'd left the younger kids at Mum's house earlier in the day so that they could hang around with Ella. Apparently Nudge, Angel and Ella had some serious shopping to do that could not wait. I don't entirely know why Gazzy wanted to go. The kid was eleven now and I think he was starting to notice girls. I just hoped he didn't turn into another Iggy.

Fang slid his hands down my wrists and took my hands instead.

"Okay," I muttered, lowering my head. I hated it when he was right.

He lifted my chin with one finger and gave me one of his rare loving smiles, the one that reached his eyes. My heart melted and I wrapped my arms around his back, pulling him close.

"I really am sorry about punching you," I said.

Fang chuckled as he embraced me back. I ran my hand through the soft feathers at the spot where his wings connected with his back, enjoying the warm of his body. I heard Fang moan softly with pleasure and he shifted his body subconsciously. I smiled into his chest, continuing to stroke his downy feathers.

All of a sudden, his warmth was gone and he was standing two steps away from me.

I frowned. "You alright?"

Fang's face was bright red and he turned his back on me.

"Let's just go get the others," he said. His voice sounded slightly strangled, like he was embarrassed about something.

He threw himself from the roof, his wings catching the air as he soared off into the night. He blended in well, his dark wings becoming one with the dark sky.

I sighed, still more than a little confused by Fang's actions. Silently I threw myself into the nothingness, following him without question. My wings beat powerfully for a few moments before they got their rhythm and became a lazy flapping motion.

I could see Fang in front of me, keeping low but not too low – just enough to stay out of the radar's range.

I couldn't stop feeling Fang's strong arms push me away and the intense rejection that flooded me every time it replayed. You'd think that after three years, I would get used to the moment when we had to pull away from each other. But still, every time, it hurt as much as it had the last time.

Gah! What was I thinking? I shook my head mentally. I was not a Fang groupie and had my own life to lead. He did not have that sort of power over me. And he would not beat me to the house. I would win and show him that it wasn't me who followed him everywhere.

It was him that followed me.

Yeah, I thought. I put on a burst of speed and shot past Fang, leaving him far behind.


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.**

_Okay just letting you know, Fang has a few eighteen year old male thoughts in this chapter so sorry but there was no offence involved for any youngens reading. Haha... youngens. I love that word. *cough* sorry... moving on..._

FANG POV –

I saw Max shoot past but didn't make any move to go faster. I couldn't bring myself to look at her, not after the way my body had reacted to Max's fingers running through my feathers. To say I was embarrassed would be an understatement. What if Max had felt something before I'd pulled away? I wasn't sure how she would take it and I sure wasn't ready to find out.

I tried my best to distract myself, to stop remembering the glorious feeling of Max's gentle fingers as they played absently with the afterfeathers at the base of my wings... No! Quickly I shook my head and searched for something – anything – else to distract me from that memory. I settled on searching for Mrs Martinez's house in the distance.

Sooner than expected, I saw it looming out of the forest. Its dark blue roof was hard to spot but I knew it well and the off-white walls were hard to miss anyway. My hawk-like eyes spotted a dark figure waiting in the driveway, leaning casually against the white car. I swallowed nervously before swooping down and landing gracefully beside her.

"Took your time," Max muttered sarcastically.

I just shrugged and walked past her to the front door. I couldn't afford any lingering thoughts or awkward situations. It was too soon.

I knocked loudly on the door and took a step back. I felt Max step up beside me and her hand touched mine briefly. A smile touched my lips as we both stared ahead, trying to act like it hadn't happened.

There was the sound of thundering footsteps and then the door was wrenched open.

"Fang! Max!" Nudge cried.

A huge smile was lighting up her face, teeth bright white in contrast to her dark skin. Without another thought Nudge threw herself out the door and wrapped me in a tight hug. I barely had the chance to realise what was happening before she was gone and her hand was wrapped tightly around Max's wrist.

She began tugging her inside, face still bright with enthusiasm. Max turned to face me as she stumbled along behind the slightly smaller girl, her comical expression nearly making me laugh. I grinned casually at Max instead, following them slowly into the house. I bumped the door shut with my foot, not stopping in my stride.

Nudge led us down the hallway and up the stairs into Ella's room. Everyone else was already there, Ella and Angel lounging on the bed and Gazzy swinging back and forth on the swivel chair at the desk. There were clothes everywhere and the desk was a mess of books and paper and pens. The whole room was an absolute mess.

"So where's Iggy?" Nudge's voice distracted me from my sudden urge to clean up and I glanced over to her expectant face.

"He's cooking dinner," Max replied, her eyes still roaming the room from beside me.

"Oh," Nudge's smile dimmed a little. She faltered in her recount of the day for a few seconds and everyone turned to look at her. I raised an eyebrow, catching her gaze.

Suddenly her cheeks blazed bright red and she turned away. Her hands snatched at the first thing she could find and found herself holding a dark blue lacy bra.

"I bought this today," she began babbling again.

My eyebrow lifted further and I crossed my arms over my chest. Nudge lowered her gaze to see what she was holding and then she giggled nervously.

"You know what? Don't worry about my day, how was yours?" she said throwing the bra back on the bed and dropping down on the mattress.

A smirk lifted my lips without my consent. Nudge was bright red now – quite a feat considering she was of African-American descent.

Max came to her rescue.

"Another boring day in paradise," she muttered sarcastically. "Well besides the fact that Iggy made an attempt at giving away our coordinates."

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. Not this again!

"Don't you say a word Fang," Max threatened, spinning to glare at me.

I just held up my hands, palms forward to show I meant no harm. There was another moment of silence as Max seethed and I feigned innocence. Finally Gazzy coughed and stood up.

"Well, I don't know about you guys but I'm starving!" he said, rubbing his nonexistent stomach.

"Me too!" Nudge cried.

She jumped up from the bed and began searching through the mess of clothes for any of her belongings. Angel and Ella were still watching me and Max as we had our glare-off. I could see Angel out of the corner of my eye and it looked like she was wearing a smug expression. Ella just looked confused.

"Okay that's everything," Nudge murmured distractedly, still searching hesitantly in case she missed something.

I turned away from Max and crossed my arms back over my chest. Max made a funny noise in her throat before walking out of the room. I didn't know what I'd done this time to annoy her. I wasn't worried about it though. She'd forget about it soon enough.

Angel got off the bed and gave me an apologetic smile as she followed Max. Gazzy just laughed. He strolled casually over me and clapped a hand on my shoulder. I had never noticed that the Gasman was nearly as tall as me now. When had that happened?

He continued out of the room without saying anything and I was left in the room with just Nudge and Ella.

"Well that was awkward," Ella muttered with a strained laugh.

I just looked at her, expressionless. Nudge smiled at her and said her goodbyes before grabbing my upper arm in her surprisingly strong hand. She pulled me out of the room and we walked in silence down the stairs. I could hear Ella walking along behind us.

We made it to the door without Nudge opening her mouth. I was almost in a state of shock but then we went outside and the spell was broken.

"I guess we'll see you next week Ella," she said. "We should have heaps to talk about by then so I can't wait! And we should go shopping again and maybe I can meet this Isaac guy you keep talking about?"

She wriggled her eyebrows suggestively and Ella giggled as her cheeks darkened.

"Let's go," Max said abruptly.

She shot into the air without as much as a goodbye to her half-sister. The rest of us waved and said our various farewells before launching into the air after our fearless leader.

Max had graciously decided to wait for us outside after landing. I could make out her silhouette against the light that glowed behind the lounge room curtains. The five of us grouped out the front of the house, looking at Max expectantly.

She got a defensive look on her face and her arms crossed over her chest. I couldn't help it. My eyes lowered as though acting on their own accord and I couldn't stop myself from noticing that by crossing her arms _right there_, she was accentuating her breasts.

A cough broke my stare and I turned guiltily to face Angel's disapproving look. I felt my cheeks flush slightly as I turned away and stared pointedly at the dead rose bush some two meters to Max's left.

Gees! I reprimanded myself silently. What is wrong with me tonight? First my body reacting to Max's gentle touch and now I am gawking opening at her chest!

"What? I left my keys behind," Max was saying.

Gazzy and Nudge burst out laughing. Angel just sighed, a smile on her young face and pulled out a set of coloured keys. She unlocked the door and we trooped inside, closing and re-locking the door behind us. The front door was always locked; it was one of The Rules.

Nudge and Angel disappeared instantly into their shared bedroom and Gazzy followed his nose. I followed him where we found six plates of spaghetti waiting for us at the table. There was no sign of Iggy.

"I love spaghetti!" Gazzy cried excitedly.

He dashed to the table and immediately began shovelling huge amounts into his mouth without any etiquette. But it was The Gasman we're talking about here. Etiquette was not a word in his dictionary.

I joined him, sitting opposite and eating my dinner a lot slower. It wasn't long before Nudge and Angel entered and it was only Max and Iggy who were missing out. Damn could that blind kid cook!

When I had cleared my plate and my bottomless stomach was relatively satisfied, I stood up and took my plate into the kitchen to stack it in the dishwasher. Hurried footsteps behind me alerted me to Max's approach.

I turned and was in time to see her stick her head into the kitchen. Her eyes were wild with worry. Immediately I left the sink and dashed to her side. I grabbed her hands in mine and pulled them up to rest on my chest.

"Max?" I filled that one word with all my concern for her and curiosity for what was troubling her.

She stared up at me for a second. I noticed her eyes were watery and her jaw was doing some funny thing where it moved backwards and forwards really quickly.

"Iggy's gone," she whispered. "I think he ran away!"


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.**

_Sorry again about the wait. Writer's block and all but here's the next chapter._

IGGY POV –

The house was eerily quiet after Max and Fang left. It was as though the atmosphere was still tense, waiting for Max's return so the fighting could continue.

I tried to shrug the feeling off but it was insistent. It continued to send snaking chills up my spine and through my body, making me anxious. I finished cooking dinner as quickly as possible, needing to get out of the house and away from this feeling.

As the spaghetti cooked I set the table. I couldn't stop myself from turning my thoughts towards the argument earlier and what I'd accidentally said. My words had surprised me almost as much as they had Max. I didn't regret what I'd said – all of it was true, after all – but I should have known Max would react to the extreme. She wasn't one for half-way.

I checked on the spaghetti and, finding it done, dished up six large plates. By the time I'd placed the last plate on the table, Max and the other's still hadn't returned. With a sigh, I decided I'd take a quick walk to calm myself down before Max got back. Hopefully then I wouldn't rise to her bait so quickly.

Using my bedroom window as an exit, I drifted to the ground and tucked my wings in tight against my back. I walked around the house and onto the side walk. I knew this road well as we'd been living in this house for three years. It was the longest we'd stayed in one spot since Jeb "died" when we were younger.

How different would our lives have been if Jeb hadn't faked his own death? Would the Government have been clued in about our existence and would they have sided with Itex?

Not long after we rescued Fang from the Whitecoats, the Government had issued a press release announcing the identities of six genetically enhanced children. Our faces were plastered throughout every city – on posters, news articles, TV ads – and we'd been deemed dangerous and unapproachable. Apparently the Government wanted us off the streets for the safety of America's citizens but we knew that it was because they knew nothing about us. We were just experiments to them, an anomaly that shouldn't exist but does. And that intrigued them.

There had been a bounty on our heads for three years and as another year passed, it grew bigger as did the Government's desperation. I think the current reward prize for handing over the location of just one of the Flock members stood at three million dollars. I hadn't been lying to Max when I said I understood the consequences of revealing myself. But all good things must come to an end at some stage.

As I walked silently down the street, I shoved my hands in the deep pockets of my jacket. The deep rumbling of a car's engine began to get louder as my feet followed some invisible map. A sigh of resignation slipped out of my lips.

The rumbling grew nearer until it seemed impossibly loud. I stopped walking at the exact moment the car pulled up beside me. Over the sounds of the engine, I heard footsteps suddenly pounded on the pavement behind me. Then I heard the sharp clicking sound of a gun being cocked. Just like in my vision.

"Stay where you are Freak," a soft voice muttered.

I did as he said, because the other option – the one I'd seen in my vision – was having the life kicked out of me. I didn't fight as the men stalked towards me. I could feel the guns trained on my back, not wavering as they neared me.

"Put your hands on your head."

Again, I complied. The men had nearly reached me; I could hear their ragged breathing. Then I heard one of them whisper to his teammate.

"Cover me."

In that instance, I snapped out my wings and with a few quick beats from my powerful muscles I was airborne. Below me I could hear the gasps of awe that escaped the men's lips. Despite their orders to capture me, they couldn't help their surprise and shock at seeing a human with wings. I took advantage of their distracted states to get higher in the air. When men have guns, it's best to get out of their range – that's common sense. And I was employing it now.

But suddenly something heavy landed on top of me, wrapping itself around my body and squashing my wings against my back. I began to fall, struggling to escape the mesh that trapped me. Where had it come from?

I hit the ground hard, jarring my shoulder. Groaning I rolled onto my front, trying to relieve the pressure on my wings. They were stuck at an awkward angle and the net was weighted down by something.

"Quick get him in the van."

I was bundled up, still entangled in the net and carried carefully into the back of the waiting van. As I landed on the floor, realisation finally hit me. The van wasn't the source of the deep thumping sound; they had bought a helicopter with them just in case I took flight. It appeared they weren't as dumb as they sounded.

The men jumped in the back with me, slamming the doors closed behind them. As soon as the doors were shut the van pulled off and I slid across the cool metal floor. My back hit one of the walls and I cried out as I felt one of the little bones in my right wing snap.

Suddenly rough hands gripped the front of my shirt through the mesh and pulled me forward.

"Which one is this?" the man who held me asked.

Another softer voice replied, "They call him Iggy."

"That's because it's my name," I murmured.

The net was pulled off me but I was far from free.

"Shut up Freak," one of them hissed.

I sighed patiently. "It's Iggy remember? We only just had this conversation."

Suddenly something cold was pushed into my arm and I felt liquid being pushed into my veins. I hissed as the syringe was pulled out roughly. I rubbed my arm, feeling strangely wonky. My head was swimming and my hearing was getting fuzzy. I'd been drugged enough times during my childhood to recognise the symptoms. The jerks!

As unconsciousness gripped me, I felt a sharp stabbing pain in my head. Sudden and painful images began flashing through my mind but I couldn't see them at all. The darkness was swallowing me, even though I knew it was important for me to see the vision. I tried to fight off the effects of the sedative but it was insistent.

Just as I was about to succumb to the dark, one of the images forced its way to my mind's eye. It was of a boy and girl, their bodies pressed together as their lips locked in a loving embrace. I could see the girl was Nudge and her beauty was just as I always saw in my visions but the boy was not me. He was her height, had light blond hair and his hands were pressed against the small of her back, dangerously close to her bottom.

Agony flooded my heart and I cried out. Then unconsciousness took its hold and I was swallowed by my anguish.


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.**

FANG POV –

"This is not your fault Max," I whispered.

I was standing behind her, her shaking body framed by the doorway she was standing in. Beyond her, I could hear Nudge's sobbing and Gazzy's fit of anger. Angel wasn't making any sound but I could see her staring, shell-shocked, at the floor.

Max had her back to me but I could tell she was crying. I swallowed back the lump that had formed in my throat and reached out for her hand, which hung limply at her side. Her fingers were cold in my own.

I pulled her around so she was staring at me instead of Iggy's bedroom. Tears stained her cheeks and her eyes were shiny and wide. Pain wrenched my heart in two as I saw Max's guilt. Without thinking, I pulled her against my chest and wrapped my arms tightly around her back.

I was tall enough now that my chin cleared the top of Max's head by a good few centimetres. For a couple of seconds I stared into the bedroom, taking in my Flock's reactions to Iggy's disappearance before I looked down at Max. She had buried her head into my chest, her fists clenching my shirt tightly. I placed a quick kiss on the top of her head before holding her tighter.

"But... why would he leave?" Nudge murmured between sobs.

She lifted her head, her eyes red and puffy from crying. I shook my head, completely baffled. I had no idea that Iggy would actually go through with his threat from earlier. Surely Max hadn't pissed him off that much?

Slowly Angel turned her piercing gaze to me. Her eyes were blank and emotionless but there was something about the expression pulling at her lips that I didn't like.

"It's because he was tired of Max constantly fighting with him," Angel said into the silence.

Gazzy whirled away from where he had punched a hole in the wall and glared at Max. She hadn't moved from in my arms but I felt her press herself further against me, as though trying to hide.

"Well good job Max! I hope you're happy," the Gasman exploded. "Because of your frustration – which might I point out, had nothing to do with Iggy – my best friend has run away to God only knows where. He is blind for God's sake! How the hell is he supposed to find somewhere safe for himself where the Government won't find him...?"

"Gazzy, shut up," I ordered.

My voice was dangerously low, almost a growl. Gazzy narrowed his eyes at me and crossed his arms over his chest. Thankfully he stayed quiet though and I turned to face the rest of the Flock.

"This is _not_ Max's fault any more than it is your own. Sure they had a few arguments but he knew she didn't mean anything by it. We're family, and at the moment family is all we have. Iggy knows that," I said.

"But Gazzy's right," Nudge murmured softly.

I turned my glare to her. "Do I have to...?"

"Not about it being Max's fault," she hurriedly corrected herself. She stood up from the bed and walked over to me and Max. "I don't blame you Max. I know he wouldn't have left just because you don't always see eye to eye. But Gazzy has a point. What happens if the Government find him? They could have found him already! They would hand him over to the Whitecoats without any hesitation and then they would start to... start..."

She choked off, fresh tears sliding down her cheeks. Her hands were clenched together in front of her chest. Suddenly I felt Max pull away and I released her. She instantly went to Nudge's side, pulling her into a hug. A small smile tugged at my lips but I quickly pushed it back, folding my arms over my chest and leaning my back on the doorjamb.

"It'll be okay Nudge," Max said.

I could hear the resolve in her voice and instantly knew that my Max was back, as strong as ever. The guilt had gone from her after seeing how distraught Nudge was. She was in full Max mode now and I knew there would be no stopping her.

"We will find him and bring him home," she continued.

She pulled away from Nudge and turned to face the youngest two Flock members. Angel was already nodding, life coming back into her eyes as she listened to Max's thoughts. Gazzy simply scowled at her.

"Get your stuff guys; we're going to go looking for him."

Everyone split up then, Angel and Nudge dashing past me heading straight for their bedroom. Gazzy turned away from Max and began hunting silently for his backpack while Max began walking out of the room. I watched her come closer. As she passed by me, her hand brushed along my stomach lightly and I spotted a thankfully smile on her lips, even though she wasn't looking at me.

My chest began aching as she touched me and I turned with her as she passed. I watched her in silence as she continued down the hall, eyes down and hips swaying slightly. I couldn't take my eyes off her and I felt a groan build in my aching chest. I must have looked pretty dopey, standing in the hallway just staring longingly after Max but for the life of me, I just didn't care.

"Get your stuff Fang," Max called over her shoulder.

I blinked and straightened, snapping out of my trance. Feeling my face redden, I lowered my head and placed my impassive look on my face before dashing to my room, fully aware of what my attraction to Max was doing to my body.

I closed the door behind me and leant back against it. I let out a frustrated sigh and banged my head on the door behind me. I hated the fact that I had never wanted Max more than I did now, right when we were going through a family crisis. It only made me ache for her more.

I tried to ignore my body as I found my backpack and shoved whatever I found first into it. Iggy was my priority at the moment, no matter how badly I wanted to grab Max and kiss her hard... I groaned as I realised the strength of my attraction to her was almost akin to that of how I'd felt three years ago when I'd wanted nothing more than to kill her.

Had the nanobots in my system been reactivated? If they had, I was screwed. I couldn't simply hand myself over to them now, not without giving the Government my friends too. And handing myself over would be the only option I would have because there was no way I was separating myself from Max, I didn't have that kind of willpower and I wouldn't be able to survive if I killed her.

As I was hunting for my wallet, I found an envelope resting against my bed lamp. It hadn't been there this morning when I woke up and that caught my attention. Nobody went in my room without my consent; it was just an unspoken rule.

"Hurry up Fang!" Max shouted.

I ignored her and picked up the letter. Quickly, so I didn't hold up the Flock, I pulled the piece of paper out and unfolded it. I instantly recognised the writing. It was slightly shaky and typically boy-messy and each word had a large gap between it and the next. It was Iggy's writing.

_Fang,_

_Tell Max it's not her fault. I didn't run away but you can't come for me. You have to keep the Flock safe. Move houses now so they can't find you. I will do my best from my end but you have to play your part as well. Lay low and keep off the radars, I will find you when it's time._

_Iggy. _

I read it twice to make sure I understood. Iggy had been captured by the Government and he had foreseen it happen. Had that been what he meant earlier when he'd said nobody could help him?

"Fang!" Max screamed. "Get your butt in here now or we will leave without you!"

I hastily shoved the letter in my pants pocket and threw my backpack over my shoulder.

How was I going to break this to the Flock? I thought as I raced into Iggy's bedroom, to find Max the only one still waiting. She smiled at me as her hand reached out for mine. I took it without hesitation and followed her out the window.

As we flew hand in hand, I remembered Max's distraught face as she blamed herself for Iggy's disappearance. I couldn't see her go through that again. For the time being, I would keep Iggy's letter a secret. I would somehow convince everyone that it would be in their best interests if we moved house and then we would lay low, just as he instructed.

He was, after all, the prophetic one. He obviously knew what he was doing.

Or so I hoped.


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.**

_So sorry about the huge wait guys but I've been preparing for my big adventure to the US. Also I'm working on another story that is my own creation which I've posted the first chapter too on here... But anyways... hope you are all well and enjoy this chapter!_

IGGY POV –

I blinked myself slowly back to consciousness. I had no idea where I was but whatever I was lying on was soft and comfortable and smelt of leather. My shoulders ached and I could feel a trace of dribble running down my chin.

Hastily I tried to sit up. That was when I noticed my hands were bound behind my back.

Okay, I reasoned with myself. So this was nothing new.

I wiggled around, using my shoulders and elbows as best I could, until I was in a seated position. I wiped the drool from my chin with my shoulder. Then I released a deep breath. Time to think.

So I had no idea where I was, didn't know who I had been taken to and I had no idea whether Fang found my letter or not. But on the up side I knew I'd been kidnapped by the Government (thank you mutant anomalies) and I wasn't dead.

A door behind me opened and closed softly. Then I heard the footsteps. They were muted – carpet? – and even and had I not been blessed with incredibly sensitive hearing I would have heard nothing. As it was, I could follow my visitor as they moved through the room. I didn't turn my head towards the sounds; I couldn't let them know just how good my hearing was.

"Ignatius."

The voice was feminine and alluring. I was willing to bet she was quite good looking.

"Please, my friends call me Iggy," I said.

I heard a soft laugh and then a faint buzzing sound, like it was far in the distance. The door opened again and this time two people entered. These two were men; there was no mistaking the heavy tread of their boots. The two men, who I assumed would be acting as my guards, stopped directly behind me.

"Well Iggy," the woman continued. "My name is Adele. I work for the President."

I listened carefully as Adele came closer to me and then I heard the whoosh as the air was compressed out of the cushion on a chair. I stared at the spot where I assumed her head was, waiting for the inevitable.

Suddenly she clicked her fingers and I felt someone seconds later fiddling with the ropes that bound my hands. They fell away and I pulled my arms back in front of me, massaging my wrists. I narrowed my eyes. What was going on?

"Are you comfortable?" Adele asked into the silence.

I raised an eyebrow. "Incredibly."

I failed to see how she missed the dripping sarcasm as she continued.

"Good. Now, as you've probably already guessed, I need to ask you a few questions. After that I have a proposition. I would like it very much if you would listen first and then make your snide comments at the end."

I sighed and leant back against the couch I was sitting on. It was going to be a long day.

"The President is very concerned about your friend's whereabouts..."

I couldn't help it. I snorted derisively.

Adele cleared her throat but otherwise ignored my interruption.

"He doesn't want them harmed, he wants to help them. We know that you all have been developing certain abilities that are beyond the norm and we would only like to study you. We want to know what is causing this genetic anomaly, why it chooses the abilities that it does for particular individuals and how we can replicate it."

She seemed to be getting very excited as she spoke. I didn't need to be a genius to figure out Adele was a scientist too.

"So you want me to tell you where my friends are?" I summarised, getting bored.

I crossed my arms over my chest. There was a pause.

"Essentially yes," Adele admitted.

I burst out laughing.

"Yeah because that's going to happen," I replied.

"I think you might change your mind when you hear my proposition," Adele's voice was softer now, more alluring.

I stopped laughing but tried not to react to her.

"What would you say if I told you that we could change your life, improve it?" she asked.

I shrugged nonchalantly. "I'd say I've heard it before. I heard it almost every day for the first fourteen years of my life."

Suddenly small fragile fingers had taken my hands and were holding on tight. I could feel Adele's presence in front of me. I adjusted my head so I was looking down, where I could feel my hands in hers.

"Did those scientists say they could fix your sight?" she queried.

Instantly my eyes rose and stared blankly at where her voice had come from. My whole body was tense with shock and my breath was coming in quick sharp gasps.

Fix my...

No, that's impossible! The Whitecoats had told me countless times. They had experimented on my eyes and done damage that went beyond repair. I'd accepted that, lived blind for almost all my life.

Fix my sight...

"Could you really...?" my voice was a whisper. I was ashamed at how desperate I sounded.

Adele squeezed my hands gently.

"Of course! The President has access to the top specialists in the world and I myself could perform the surgery. This wouldn't be the first time I've worked with Dr Mandez. He's a genius," Adele gushed.

My heart was thudding wildly in my chest. Thoughts flew through my mind at the speed of light. Could they possibly do what the Whitecoats couldn't? Could they really grant my deepest wish?

Then realisation hit and a cold weight suddenly hollowed my stomach.

"And in return all I have to do is give you my friends?" I muttered.

"So we can _help _them. That's all we've ever wanted to do!" she persisted.

She must have known how hard that decision was for me. In my mind, the logic seemed simple – don't trust her. She wanted me to reveal the location of my friends, the only family I had that loved me, just so I could get something back that I'd learnt to live without. I had already adjusted to living without sight so, in my logical mind; I could continue to do so.

But my heart had been given hope. I could have it back. I would be able to see Nudge and all of my family; I would be able to see whether this Adele was as beautiful as she sounded. Vision. The thought alone made my heart sing.

"We need an answer now," Adele murmured slowly. "The sooner we know your choice, the sooner we can begin the procedure."

My mind was in turmoil. How could I decide something as important as this in a matter of seconds? It was too much.

I pulled away from Adele and dropped my face into my hands. Sight or friends? Vision and freedom but no family? No vision, most likely no freedom and no family? I couldn't do this!

A sudden and blinding pain gripped my head and I cried out. My fingers dug into my temples as I squeezed my head, trying to stop the pain. Without thinking, I pulled my legs up against my chest and curled into a ball as the images began flashing.

They were fast, like always but this time I was filled with a sense of urgency. Like this vision was more important than any others and I had to see it before it was too late.

A whimper escaped my lips as the last images faded away and the pain drained from my body as quickly as it had arrived. I sat up, running my hands through my shaggy hair, very aware that all eyes were on me even if I couldn't see them.

My face heated up but my voice was firm when I replied. I knew what I had to do.


	7. Chapter 7

_Hey all! So sorry it took so long to update but I have an excellent excuse. I was in America for three months and have only just recently come home. So not being in the country is a good excuse I think. :D Anyways, loved the US and can't wait to return! And the story? You may not even remember what has happened... I guess that's why they allow the previous chapters to stay up! So just re-read if you're a little confused. I missed everyone and your awesome reviews!_

**MAX POV –**

We stayed in the Black Ridge Hills that night. It was quiet and far away from society – an excellent place to hide out overnight until we had a plan.

I couldn't sleep. After tossing and turning for over an hour, I decided that I would just give up. Everyone else had spread out around me but Fang had curled his long body around mine, one of his arms draped over me. His hand rested on my stomach, creating comforting warmth that spread through me. I watched in silence for a couple of seconds as his hand rose and fell with each breath I took. I lifted my hand and gently ran it over his tanned arm, slowly making my way to his hand. I traced the bones of his fingers as lightly as I could before linking my fingers through his. A smile touched my lips.

His fingers tightened briefly before I felt his warm breath on my cheek.

"He'll be ok Max," Fang whispered.

A shiver ran through me as his warmth dispelled the coldness within me.

"How do you know?" I replied. My voice was barely above a whisper, afraid that I would wake the others.

A feather light kiss burned my neck, just behind my ear.

"Because he's Iggy."

He said it as though that would solve the world's problems. I didn't have the same faith. How did we know that they weren't torturing him? What if they were doing to Iggy what they did to Fang all those years ago? Would we be able to save him?

I sighed and lifted Fang's hand away. Then I rolled over to face him and gently kissed his lips. Just a thanks, nothing romantic. I couldn't think of that when Iggy was out there somewhere... I stood and walked away. Behind me, I heard Fang sigh softly. He didn't follow me.

I moved away from our little encampment, needing some space to clear my head. I sat down at the base of a tree and dropped my head into my hands. I knew this was my fault but Fang was also right. I couldn't keep blaming myself. I had to be proactive, come up with a plan. You know leader-type stuff. If I could get myself together after losing Fang then I could do this.

Taking a deep breath, I began to sort my thoughts out. How were we going to find Iggy when we had no idea where to start? And when we found him, how were we going to save him? Well I guess that second one could wait until we had an idea of the facility he was being held in. That's one problem postponed.

I rubbed my face furiously. I just wanted to scream. Why couldn't everyone just leave us alone! We weren't hurting anybody – unnecessarily. We were still people. We had the same rights as everyone else. It should be the Whitecoats and Jeb who were the ones on the run and in constant fear of capture. They were the ones that had performed illegal experiments on us. Made us who we were today.

But no. Instead of doing the right thing and arresting everyone, the Government chose to employ them all, turn a blind eye to their past deeds and then proceed to publically slander me and my Flock. They turned the whole world against us, revealed our secret and our identities and then slapped a hefty reward price on each of our heads so that every Average Joe out there would turn us in if they ran into us. All simply because the Government saw potential in our being used as military weapons.

That was why I fought so hard to keep us hidden. There was no way that I was letting any of us be turned into a weapon. These people were my family and I loved them more than anything.

I stood suddenly and walked back to where we'd set up camp for the night. Everyone was still sleeping soundly. As I watched them, a deep sense of protection surged through me and I knew that I had to do whatever it took to keep us together. The beginnings of a plan were forming and I smiled to myself.

Quietly, I made my way back to Fang. Tomorrow we would drop into Mum's house quickly to see if she knew anything about where Iggy could be and then if that didn't work then we would go straight to the highest governmental power I knew existed in this country.

I was the first awake. Now that I had a plan I was eager to jump to it. I woke everyone up and told them to pack their stuff. Once packed, we ate a quick breakfast and I explained to them what I had come up with. They didn't seem to think it was a horrible plan although Fang pointed out that it probably wasn't a good idea to visit my Mum as they might be watching her.

I ignored him and threw my bag on my back. I didn't care for the risks. I was determined to have Iggy back with us by the end of the day. And if not that, then at least have an idea as to his whereabouts.

I was about to take flight when a shrill ringing filled the forest. Instantly alert, I spun around. Everyone looked as confused as I felt except for Nudge. She was fumbling furiously with the zipper of her bag.

"Is that a cell phone?" I asked incredulously.

Nudge pulled the little device from her bag and flipped it open. Then her eyes widened.

"Nudge, why on Earth did you bring your..." I began. Her next words cut me off straight away.

"It's Iggy!"

Quickly she pressed the talk button and held it to her ear.

"Ig?" she answered.

I was at her side in an instant. I pulled the phone from her hand and pressed it to the side of my face.

"...Help me please! Nudge, you guys have to... They know your..."

I could barely hear half of his words as there were explosions going off in the background. His breathing was laboured as though he was running and I could hear a lot of shouting.

"Iggy where are you?" I shouted into the mouthpiece.

"Max?" he sounded surprised. "Thank God! Get... your Mum's house now! They don't... where it is."

Suddenly he grunted and the connection was lost.

I pulled the cell phone away from my ear slowly and closed it with a snap.

"We're going to my Mum's house."

Nobody argued and Fang even nodded in agreement, as though he'd heard the whole conversation.

Angel and Gazzy took flight minutes later and I grabbed Nudge's sleeve before she could follow.

"You and I will be talking about _this_ later," I dangled the phone in front of her before throwing it as far as I could into the bushes. They could be using it to track us. What had Nudge been thinking?

Two hours later, we were walking up the drive of Mum's house. All of my senses were alert for any sign that someone was watching us but nothing out of the ordinary caught my eye.

Fang slid his hand into mine and gave it a squeeze. I threw him an encouraging smile. He had been right. Iggy would be fine. He _was_ Iggy after all.

Before Mum could open the door, I heard a soft whistling sound and then felt something hit the back of my neck. It stung and I cried out in surprise. My hand dropped Fang's and flew up to pull the dart out of my skin.

As I looked at it my vision started to blur and I glanced frantically at the Flock. Angel was already down and Gazzy was dropping to the ground. Nudge looked woozy as though she'd go next. I could feel myself swaying as I reached out for Fang, who was right next to me. My hand caught his arm but my clumsy fingers found no purchase.

As darkness overtook me and I began to fall, I heard Fang call out to me. It might have been the drugs but I thought I felt his hands catch me and hold me tight to his chest.

But then the darkness won and I never found out.


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.**

FANG POV –

Instinct took over my muscles. As soon as I felt Max's fingers go limp in my own I made a grab for her waist. I pulled her close, searching her face. Her eyes were dull and the lids were sliding shut. Within seconds she was out completely.

I pulled her against my chest and spun to seek out the danger. Something whistled through the air and sudden warmth spread through my neck. I lifted my hand and found something lodged there. I pulled it out; unsurprised to find it was a syringe.

I glanced around. I couldn't see anyone in the surrounding area but that didn't mean there was no one there.

Whistle. Warmth.

Again, I pulled out another dart but this time I didn't stick around. Everyone else was unconscious around me and I didn't know how many enemies there were.

Without knocking, I twisted the doorknob and was thankful to find that it was open. I dashed inside, Max still cradled in my arms. I placed her gently on the ground just inside the foyer before dashing back outside. Nudge and Angel were the closest to the door so I grabbed an arm each and began pulling them inside too. There was another whistle but no sudden warmth. The syringe hadn't hit. I got Nudge and Angel inside and left them next to Max.

Gazzy was the only one left. He had been trailing behind Max and me as we walked up the driveway so he was the furthest away. I could see him only a few meters away, face down on the cobblestone. I ran out to him and got my hands under his armpits.

As I was hauling him towards the house I heard a different noise. It was a sort of muffled _putt_ sound. I would have ignored it if it hadn't been for the surprising flare of white hot pain that shot through my left arm. All strength in that arm fled and I dropped Gazzy.

Gasping in pain, I stared down at my arm. Just above the crook of my elbow was an almost perfect circle of red that seemed to go straight through muscle and tissue and out the other side. My whole arm, from shoulder to fingertip, was numb and useless.

Clearly they had changed ammunition. Jerks.

"Step away from the boy."

The voice seemed to come out of nowhere. With my hand clamped firmly around my wounded arm, I glanced around the front yard. My teeth were grit together but the pain was slowly becoming bearable. The tingle had started to spread through my chest and down into my arm. I couldn't let whoever was attacking us see that my arm was healing already. No point in risking a more deadly shot.

A shadow dropped down out of the lower branches of a huge elm and straightened as I watched. The dark glint of shiny metal was pointed at my chest.

"Next time I won't miss. Now step away from the boy."

I slowly stood, keeping a fake mask of agony on my face. The skin was repairing itself quickly and the wound would soon be nothing more than a blood covered scar.

"Since when do the government shoot to kill people they want alive?" I demanded.

"Since the tranquiliser didn't work on you. You're different from the others," the shadow replied.

I snorted a laugh.

"So how did you find us?"

Talking wasn't usually one of my strong points but I was pulling a Max. Keep them talking to either figure out their plan or until you figured out a plan. I was hoping for the latter but with four unconscious friends to look after I wasn't sure that I would be going anywhere. And leaving them wasn't an option.

"Stop talking kid. Get down on the ground and lie on your back."

My mind was working furiously but no easy solution to my problem was forthcoming. So I carefully lowered myself onto the ground beside Gazzy and rolled onto my back. The sun was shining right into my face and I had to squint and turn my head so I could still see.

Footsteps approached and then the gun was shoved into my face.

"You're Fang right?"

I didn't see the harm in telling him my name so I nodded. The metal was cool on my hot skin.

"How fast do you reckon you'll heal if I put a bullet right here?"

He rapped the gun barrel twice on the spot direct between my eyebrows before letting it rest there, just firmly enough for it to be uncomfortable.

I swallowed and refused to reply. I didn't know how he knew about the nanobots and their continued healing but at the moment that wasn't my biggest problem.

Car tyres screeched and the deep thumping of helicopter rotors filled the silence. I closed my eyes as fear finally started creeping in. I had told Max that they would be watching her mum's house but had she listened to me? No, of course not.

Doors opened and closed and dozens of footsteps crunched their way up the driveway.

"The rest are inside," the shadow said.

A strong hand grabbed my arm and rolled me over. He pulled my other arm behind me and then cold steel clipped shut, locking my hands together. I didn't bother to struggle. I couldn't escape and leave Max and the others in the hands of the government.

I was hauled to my feet by my hands and then a length of rope was wound around my chest. It pinned my arms to my body and more importantly held my wings trapped between my body and arms. Definitely no chance any more.

There were men surrounding the house, all armed and looking cautious. Six men came out of Dr Martinez's house carrying huge dog crates between two. I could see Angel's blond curls hanging out from between the steel grate door of one and Max's shoes pressed up against another. There was no doubt that Nudge was in the third crate.

I turned to the left and saw Gazzy being bundled into a fourth.

"Let's go," the man with the gun said.

He gave me a harsh shove in the back and I stumbled forward. I was led towards a fancy looking Mercedes with tinted windows. A door opened and I caught a quick glimpse of the inside before somebody tied a blindfold around my eyes and I was thrown in the back.

My mind was reeling. The inside of the car had been lushly furnished and comfy to boot. But what had startled me was the lone figure sitting, casually sipping wine from a tall perfectly polished glass.

How could Iggy betray us like this?

_Again, sorry about the wait guys but it's about to heat up soon! I'll try to be quicker from now on :D Thanks for your support!_


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